Internet

May 27, 2018

Everyone loves to watch videos. With smartphones everywhere, Cisco estimates that in the next three years, video will account 80% of all internet traffic. YouTube will get the bulk of that traffic, especially from those who are not interested in watching TV shows and movies on the move. Video marketing is now an absolute necessity for anyone looking to sell a product or server. Here is why:

According to a survey:

Half of the respondent say they made a purchase after watching a branded video and a third day that video made them consider the purchase.

A staggering 81% of people say they interact with brands on social media, and about half do so through the branded video.

A third of all respondents rated video as their top choice for looking up branded content.

Now that we have underscored the opportunities and importance of video, here is how to get your video better optimized for YouTube’s sophisticated search algorithm:

Getting your videos ranked higher requires a constant stream of new content. It is the best way to go up the rankings and get more subscribers.

Watch is very important and is one of the biggest signals that YouTube uses to measure user engagement.

Do some research on what your competition is doing before you create your video and make sure that your metadata is better. Make sure to do all this before you upload your video as the first 24 hours after you upload is crucial to getting a better rank.

January 6, 2018

AdWords is a complicated product, and different markets use the network in different ways. Also, Google is constantly updating the service with new features, and it takes a lot of time just to keep up with new developments. Unfortunately, this also means that there are killer features that can slip by. Here are two features that likely flew under the radar:

Ad variations

As marketers, we all like to A/B test different aspects of our ads but don’t have the time to create campaigns and compare. A few months ago, Google introduced the Ad variations product, and now you can specify different variations to different parts of your ad copy and see the results at scale. It will save you a lot of time, and you get a nice report from Google at the end of the test.

Gmail ads

The drive to advertise on Gmail went down significantly after Google moves the ads to the Promotions tab. However, Gmail ads are both attractive and engaging and failing to take advantage of this channel lose the potential context that email offers. Also, users go to the Promotions tab to see email newsletters and updates and will see the ads in the same light.

There are many more features like the two above that might either save time or increase potential ad clicks. The best method is to look what you want in a campaign and see if that feature exists. Also, there are certifications in AdWords which should also surface interesting tactics and tools.

What exactly is a technical skill? Is SEO a technical skill? Not really. Personal Finance and Job site, The Balance defines a technical skill as Technical skills are abilities and knowledge needed to perform specific tasks. They are practical and often relate to mechanical, IT, mathematical, or scientific tasks. Some examples include knowledge of programming languages, mechanical equipment, or tools.”

The demand for technical skills in marketers is growing. A survey by Mondo found that nearly all of those surveyed think the role of the marketer will continue to move away from the traditional model. Going even further, they predict that by the end of 2017, more than half of digital marketers hired will have technical backgrounds.

Here are two of the most technical skills marketers will need going forward:

Front end:

Working knowledge HTML, CSS and Javascript is a must. Also, knowledge of how other web related technologies and development platforms will be useful. For example, marketers should learn to basics of JSON, Java, SQL, etc. The more technical knowledge, the better, even if it does not involve hands-on experience.

Visuals:

The gold standard of graphic design software is Adobe Photoshop which is part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Knowing how to use this software has two benefits: Firstly, you will understand what is possible and what limitations exist. Secondly, you can use it to design wireframes and rough designs for the designers to use as a basis for the design.

There are more technical skills that marketers will find useful. However, these are the main two that will benefit a marketer in almost any industry.

September 10, 2016

California search engine optimization strategies businesses can employ to catch the attention of click-happy searchers involve more than just selecting the right keywords and phrases. It’s just as important to be mindful of the latest SEO trends.

Social Media Content is King

Search engines will continue to place added weight on content posted to social platforms. Facebook has already embraced this trend with Instant Articles, which allows for faster access to relevant content.

Video Rules

California SEO should definitely include video since it’s what more than 60 percent of Google searchers look for already when browsing. Content with video also means a higher click-through rate — a boost of 40 percent, according to some estimates.

Local Matters

More than half of all mobile searches are conducted with the hopes of finding something local. Embrace this trend with geo-specific info in your content and make sure your business info is consistent and accurate in directories.

Mobile-Friendly Isn’t an Option

SEO efforts aren’t going to be effective if your site isn’t designed for the growing number of mobile searchers out there. Four out of five consumers already use smartphones to shop.

Long-Tail Keywords for Voice Searches

Don’t forget to account for voice-activated searches in your SEO strategy. Long-tail keywords are more effective for this purpose since people tend to use more than just one ore two words when speaking a search request.

While an effective CA SEO strategy should include some of the trends mentioned here, it’s also a highly personalized process that’s based on your specific short-term and long-term goals and factors such as your dependence on online revenue.

Sticky Web Media is a California SEO firm specializing in Web design and search marketing. Learn how to get your website to rank better at Sticky Web Media.

May 8, 2015

In a recent Twitter report, it was found that 35 percent of users use this social media service to find discounts and company promotions they can benefit from.

What this points to is a business opportunity for small businesses who cannot afford a full-scale paid promotional campaign.

This is where Twitter comes in and where these small businesses can market themselves at literally no cost.

So, here are 3 ways by which you can promote your business for free on Twitter:

#1: A “Twixclusive” Offer

This is an offer that is exclusive only on Twitter and which will make your followers feel special. There are three ways you can use this to promote your business. One, limited-time discounts and special offers as well as videos and photos that gives them an inside-look of your business. Q&A sessions are also another way by which you can create interest in what you have to offer.

#2: Try a “Flock to unlock” Campaign

This campaign provides businesses with a way to encourage customers to perform a certain action so as to reveal a special deal. One example would be to request potential customers to visit your site and provide feedback. This will help you determine which color or style that they like best. Inform your customers of the action that they must take to unlock the deal. When you have reached your target (say, a certain number of retweets), then you can reveal the deal to your customers.

#3: Promote Cultural, Sporting and Industry or Seasonal Events

A smart way by which you can generate interest about your business is by promoting sporting, industry, cultural or seasonal events. For example, you can start conversations on Twitter by talking about industry trade show events or even seasonal events such as Mother’s day, graduation or even Thanksgiving too. Sporting events like the Oscars, the Superbowl or even the World Series can be used as well as local or state events where you live.

January 12, 2015

Most marketers will be glad to be kept abreast of the changes that are due to Facebook from February 1, 2015.

This is for the simple reason that it changes the way people use Facebook and which will require marketers to adjust their strategy as a result.

While there are a number of policies that will stay the same, here are 4 upcoming changes on Facebook:

#1: Privacy Basics

The biggest effort, in terms of these changes, is to clarify what their Privacy terms better. For this, they rolled out Privacy Basics so as to how you what you see, what others see about you or even how they interact with you.

#2: Facebook Services

Services such as mobile app, Messenger app, Paper, Rooms, Page Manager, Audience Insights among others are now covered clearly by the terms. Each of them will have their own privacy policies or their supplemental terms. Since a cross-connection exists, you can use them to recover your password for Instagram.

#3: Cookies Policy

Facebook has changed their Cookie Policy which will mention that they are assisting service providers, who will help you to buy stuff when using Facebook from your phone. Of course, this only applies if you choose to buy using your phone.

#4: Data Policy

With this policy, Facebook explains that they will collect device location information either by using GPS, WiFi or BlueTooth. Of course, this isn’t a new policy but one that has changed since Facebook did not explicitly mention Bluetooth or GPS.

October 16, 2014

If your Twitter engagement has been dropping for sometime, just a few simple tweaks should be enough.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at 4 new ways to improve your tweets and your business’ engagement:

#1: Revise your Twitter Bio

OPtimizing your Twitter bio is the first thing that you should do. While people might never read your tweets, they will look at your bio instead. Update your bio with your occupation, hobbies and the type of tweets you make. Apart from this, add the right information and the appropriate keywords.

#2: Show your human side

In order to increase engagement, you have to show your human side. People only respond to other people. The worst thing that you can do on Twitter is to post robot-like messages. Sharing boring and dry updates isn’t going to get you any traffic – that’s for sure! Humor can also be excellent if you want to increase engagement too.

#3: Ask People to take action

If you want more followers or shares, all you have to do is ask. Recently, in a survey it was found that if you add the words ‘Please retweet’, the number of retweets increased by 51%. Ultimately, if your goal is to enjoy more engagement on Twitter, you just have to ask.

#4: Use Hashtags

When you use hashtags, you can keep up with the latest news and updates that have gone viral. This is because a number of users follow these hashtags so as to keep up with topics that interest them. When you add those hashtags in your updates, not only can you jon the conversation but capture the attention of your audience.